Thursday, November 30, 2006

Mmmmmm....

Every Christmas my dad would make rice pudding. He'd make it the night before so that we would have the treat the next morning with breakfast. It would be lumpy, chewing, chilly and sweet. When I got married, to my dismay, I found out my husband did not like rice pudding. Alas. Now that I have two boys, though, I have a second and third chance at sharing one of my childhood favorites with someone else. What's my point? I know it's not Christmas yet (and rice pudding wasn't a treat reserved solely fro the holiday), but tonight I had a ton of left over rice and decided this would be the night I really try my hand at the delicious concoction.

I didn't really talk about my Thanksgiving the other day, so since I'm feeling in the holiday spirit, here are some pics from our Upstate New York trip!

First of all, my husband's Aunt owns horses and cattle, something my sons never see up close. When we lived in Maryland, there were farms everywhere. In Georgia, we live right outside of Atlanta. No cows here. My youngest really got a kick out of the animals, though. He even rode a pony for a few seconds. As the pony started to trot, he started to slide off sideways. Luckily, my husband and his aunt were right there to catch him! Both boys feed three horses and a pony. I couldn't persuade Aaron or Sean to pet the horses, unfortunately.

I tried to convince John's aunt that she needs a few alpacas on her farm. Then she could shear the darlings and send the wool to me! :-) Somehow I don't think I convinced her. That is one of my dreams, though. Someday own some land and raise alpacas. Mostly, I want to be able to spin my own yarn. That would mean I'd have to seriously start knitting again!!

About that knitting. I just haven't felt very inspired lately. I have that project I'm working on for my mom, but it's a felting pattern, so it's not very pretty at this point. Plus, it's kinda boring, seeings as it's a large rectangle I'm making. I guess I'm just in a slump.

Sean's been home from school the last two days because of a nagging cough. His teacher didn't want him to spread his cold to the other children, so she requested he stay home. I can't wait for him to go back! ;-) Seems like every time I turn around the boys are into something. They've discovered the meaning of "teamwork." When they're not getting into stuff they shouldn't be in, they are running around screaming. That's it. That's the game. Let's run around the apartment, screaming at the top of our lungs until mommy snaps. Even "time out" hasn't worked the last two day. Does anyone else's children go through phases like this? Usually the kids are well behaved, but lately...

Why are children compelled to run? When Sean's outside, that's all he wants to do. You would think that eventually he would tire out, but no. He just keeps going. I know that a long, long time ago I was just as energetic. Just think of all the running games children find fun, the most obvious example being "tag." Just imagine still finding running that much fun as an adult. Oh, I'm sure there are those who still find joy in pounding the pavement, but I have HATED running ever since I became a teenager. Is it because one's body gets heavier as he or she ages, making the act of running more difficult? Or is it related to the boundless energy children possess?

On another topic, if you are the praying type, I've started a prayer circle on Beliefnet.com for my parent's good friend, Juliette Thomas, who is in the advanced stages of lung cancer. Typically, I like to keep my religious beliefs private, as I respect the fact that different people believe different things. If you are interested, though, please click here. Unfortunately, I have another loved one dealing with cancer. John's Aunt Kate, a woman who has more than her share of heartache this year, was diagnosed with lymphoma. She has undergone surgery to remove it, and we should know soon whether or not all the cancer was removed. If you are interested in praying for her, please click here. If you aren't the praying type, please disregard! Thanks!